March 2002

An extremely rare military courier post card flown from Vajnory airfield near Bratislava to Prague on August 11,1919. During the war in Slovakia military couriers carried mail to Prague on daily basis, though rarely by air. The oblong, purple cancel at upper right, "Kurýrním letem" (by Courier Flight), indicates the card went by air. The large round is the unit cancel of Squadron 590, French Military Mission which was stationed at Vajnory to train Czechoslovak piolet and other air personel. The black cancel at center left is from Field Post 8. This field post was established on July 16, 1918 to handle the mail of Western Group Command in Bratislava.